Porsche is, after a titanic batttle, about to become a member of the VW Group. Last year Porsche tried to take over VW. VW struck back. This has been one of the great soap operas of industrial history.

Just been out for an ‘engineering drive’ in a late prototype of the Bentley Supersports. The one Derek Bell drove at Goodwood. The development chief says it’s a Ferrari 599 rival. Well yes, it was a wet day on difficult Cheshire roads, and I don’t think a 599 would have kept up.

There’s something far more important behind the news that Nissan’s Sunderland plant is to lead the charge (ha ha) in battery manufacturing. In 18 months time, you’ll be able to buy a proper full-sized Nissan hatchback powered entirely by batteries.

In among all the jiggery-pokery about Vauxhall’s new owners (Russian? Chinese? Italian? Belgian?) the company is still busy churning out new cars. Foreman has driven a prototype of this autumn’s Astra, and it’s a seriously good rival for the Focus or Golf.